Bookies seek easier betting ... as gambling addicts 'soar'

This subject drives me mad
these Bookmakers are dying to open 6 nights a week all year round until 930pm! thus creating more jobs???
this is Bull as no extra jobs will be created these shops will just single man at night and thats a fact as most of them single man on Friday nights when Dundalk is on

at he minute any betting shop ive walked into over last 3 months is usually empty after 4pm when the "real" stuff has ended! as for Sharon Byrne being very concerned id say the only thing she's concerned about is Bruce Betting (the family business) is about to go under,most of their shops have already been sold to Laddies or Bar1 anyway.

it'll be a sad day if these bookmakers get their wish and become mini arcade/casinos open 12 hours per day with the crack cocaine of gambling the FOBT machine

Hayley O'Connor, of Ladbrokes, said that extending trading hours could see an additional 500 full-time jobs.

"We are actually forced to close when events such as Champions League, Premier League, greyhound racing and UK horse racing are taking place.

Greyhound Racing, considering Irish Bookies refuse to take bets on any Irish track apart from Shelbourne and that's at SP outside of the Derby that really is pushing it.

Totally agree da fallon, these 500 jobs are a total red herring, nothing at all will change in the jobs dept.

But you have to admire their audacity, they're the ultimate Kings of spin.

Credit to you, Anaglogs, for consistently sourcing articles/news like this and highlighting it on the Irish Forum.

I  wouldnt be having any large ante post bets with some of the so called bigger indos as there are a few just a couple of bad results away from going to the wall.

Sharon Byrne left Bruce a while back. Works for Boils now.

I can see where they are coming from esp when there is evening racing from Kempton and Wolver.

A lot of people in my local like to have a bet on the Wed and Thurs night racing and just can't get on.

I would fully endorse round the clock late opening.

It would also dampen down any illegal betting that may occur in pubs and clubs.

Fair enough soapp but why tell a bunch of lies to get your way?, no more jobs will be created just staggered starting times for existing staff, staggered in such a way that they avoid actually paying their staff any extra hours.

What harm is a bit of pub punting, I mean, What is the robbing of a bank compared to the founding of a bank, they only want to extend opening hours in hope that the FOBT's will come in,bricks and mortar shops are fukc ed otherwise.

I think in these days of wi fi and online betting through a smart phone there isn't much illegal betting in pubs and clubs.

Think she's on about certain operators who just don;t contribute the same way as them to the excheqeur/levy

Sorry I was addressing Soapps point

The Ladbrokes one is a PR girl, her views on Business matters/Taxation should not be taken seriously, she has little experience into how a business works and less input into how Ladbrokes are run.

She is a very beautiful young lady who goes racing all the time,always seems in good form.

celtic went under because they couldnt get fobts in,ive noticed a few sly machines in a few bookies in town already,the late night all weather meetings although fun are not really for the serious punter,so basically they will just attract the addicts and mug punters..(like me),the next step is to get them onto the fobts
if they want to increas revenue,maybe they should market there products better,give better value ,price up there own markets and not be afraid to take large bets,
either way there argument is wrong on the jobs front,i know as my partner is a manager in a major irish firm and she reckons all it would do is make the roster easier to fill as there would be no double staff shifts...

wildmanfromborneo Joined: 30 Nov 10
Replies: 4566 27 Jan 12 22:04 
She is a very beautiful young lady who goes racing all the time,always seems in good form.


Beautiful, you must be blind you clown or very happy to dip in the average.

that a bit harsh...shes somebodies daughter

In fairness to her she does turn heads at the races

Her looks have nothing to do with the debate.

trap six Joined: 15 Mar 04
Replies: 231 27 Jan 12 22:38 
that a bit harsh...shes somebodies daughter
observerirl Joined: 30 Aug 02
Replies: 325 27 Jan 12 22:44 
In fairness to her she does turn heads at the races


Reply to trap six - she is average, not trying to insult her folks so simmer.

Reply to observerirl - Yes the demographic at the race track would have a heart attack over any old yoke so not really a good example.

Timeforchange i suppose it all depends on what you are into,you are entitled to your opinion but do you need to call people with a different view blind or clowns.
Try going out and maybe go to the races you might be surprised at the demographics.

timeforchange...no offence meant or taken....

TFC no doubt you are married to/engaged to/shagging/a model

She is a real woman and speaks,i would say Timeforchanges taste would be from the internet.

The gift of speech is a huge plus i have to say wimbo.

I am sure she is a lovely girl but lets not get ott re her. Pound a penny in my view, anyway lets leave this go. I am just looking forward to the 500 jobs that are promised re this .

IRISHTIMES.IE

INTRODUCING ONLINE gambling to betting shops and increasing opening hours as sought by bookmakers would have negative consequences for families, according to an addiction campaigner.

The director of the Toranfield House addiction centre, Miriam Finnegan, said job creation in the industry must be balanced against the effects of compulsive gambling.

The betting shop industry is appealing to the Government for increased opening hours – until 9.30pm, six nights a week – from September to April. At present bookies can only stay open late on Fridays during the winter. They also want to increase revenues through in-house access to online betting on iPad-style tablets.

“There are a lot of people struggling – people will take risks and try to win a few bob,” Ms Finnegan said. “Since the recession, gambling is more of a problem. People could pick up a job to pay their debts , but now some of them don’t have the means to pay.”

Research on the Irish situation is not available, but Ms Finnegan said British studies have found 75 per cent of problem gamblers bet online, so anything that introduces such gambling to a new market was worrying, she said.

“For a lot of people betting isn’t an addiction – but there are others who go out to the shops to normalise their betting,” Ms Finnegan said.

Some 101 betting shops closed last year, according to the Irish Bookmakers’ Association. However, leading chains say footfall in high street shops is holding up and in some cases growing.

While punters in Paddy Power shops were spending less on each wager – down 9 per cent to €17 in the 218 shops – they were betting more frequently, the company’s head of communications said.

“The Irish betting shop market is five times bigger than the online market,” Paddy Power said. “Most of our online customers are in the UK or America.”

Leon Blanche of **** said 70 per cent of that company’s Irish turnover came from shops in 2011. It has increased its number of outlets from 142 to 174 over the past 12 months. “The amount of slips per shop is on the rise but the stake placed has fallen,” said Mr Blanche, saying the average bet was now €19.

“It’s the sense of a community that draws people in,” he added, “ things like being able to enjoy premium events on paid-for channels like Sky Sports.”

Ladbrokes has five more shops now than in 2010, starting the year with 213 despite some “consolidation” last year, according to spokeswoman Hayley O’Connor. She said the social element of betting helped keep the shops open, adding the amount placed on each bet had increased slightly to €15.

Chairwoman of the Irish Bookmakers’ Association Sharon Byrne said changes to the laws were needed as smaller bookies were losing out to the chains. “The bigger shops can afford to carry on. As the shops close, the money can spread and will help to keep the others viable,” she said, adding the majority of closures were independents, leaving “roughly 1,100” shops open.

Aside from promoting new betting products, various shops in Dublin offer free tea or coffee, biscuits and even soup to entice punters. “There’s a decent atmosphere even in the recession,” Mr Power said. “But one stereotype is true. The breakdown is probably 90-95 per cent men.”

There is anecdotal evidence of bookmakers’ shops being used as a social outlet by some people who have become unemployed and have no workplace to go to.

Spokeswoman for the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed Brid O’Brien said: “I could see the attraction of sitting in a shop for social interaction. If people are coming and going in a busy shop, it might not be noticeable you are there all day,” she said. “If people are using the shops like this, it highlights the need for increased services.”

BETTING IN THE RECESSION: WHAT THE PUNTERS SAY



THERE’S A nice atmosphere in here, I’d know a lot of them personally. A lot of elderly people come in to get a bit of warmth. There’s a place in Cavan gives sandwiches, a place in Portlaoise they do cakes and tea. But you wouldn’t get that in Dublin.

– Kieran Daly (74), Dublin, in a city centre bookies

It’s a boys’ club really, it’s just for lads. You don’t have to be dealing with women here. It’s an escape . . . Addiction goes hand in hand with that. I come every day for a few hours. It’s comfortable here too; a lot of people come in here to get out of the cold. I’ve seen them falling asleep.

– Tom (25), Crumlin, Dublin

Being bored can cost you money. But in the shop you put on your bet and go home – you can’t get at more money. I’d find that when I go online, the money is there ready to be spent again.

– Anthony (mid-20s), Walkinstown

If I want to have a bet, I’d always go to the shops. I like putting the cash down, but getting it back again is absolutely the best part. I’d be around town in different shops, and I haven’t noticed any difference in numbers since the recession started. You can just come in and watch, no one tells you you have to bet.

– Paul Murphy (36), Blanchardstown

If you don’t want to bet, you can come in and watch, it passes the time. I’d see people I know coming in – you’d see the same faces all the time.

– Colm (32), Dún Laoghaire

One thing is certain. There is no way that the average bet in spoils is €19 or €17 in showers, hayleys €15 is closer to the truth. The average stake was €20 during the good times (in country shops) and half that in city shops

Totally agree. If the average bet with those 2 crowds is 19 and 17 euro respectively I'm a chinaman. FFS sure they're ringing up for anything over a score each-way.

average stakes are 17ish, taking 3-4 large stake bets (2500-5000) makes up the difference, the most common bet is 5euro for race by race punters, football coupon punters are mostly 10euro but could have 2 acca's on 1 slip. average bet is still 18euro in country shops but thats on the lst calender year, its jan now and forcasts are down so a revisted forcast in may/june will tell more but with a few short priced fav's for Chelt the averge stake should stay similar (last year in chelt hurricane was 9-4, the 4-6 generally now will bring in at least 1 3000e bet per shop and thats from a none regular!)

average stakes are 17ish, taking 3-4 large stake bets (2500-5000) makes up the difference, the most common bet is 5euro for race by race punters, football coupon punters are mostly 10euro but could have 2 acca's on 1 slip. average bet is still 18euro in country shops but thats on the lst calender year, its jan now and forcasts are down so a revisted forcast in may/june will tell more but with a few short priced fav's for Chelt the averge stake should stay similar (last year in chelt hurricane was 9-4, the 4-6 generally now will bring in at least 1 3000e bet per shop and thats from a none regular!)

99% of shops will only see a €2500-€5000 bet once every few months at most.

what do you base that on squigs? 1000-3000 is generally every second week, 3k plus is rare enough but there are plenty out there who find value in 5k to win 1k

seriously, who walks around with 5000 in cash?

I'd be putting on a few hundred and I never see anyone betting in those denominations

It's mostly 5s and 10s.

I got my pocket picked in a bookies a while back, someone followed me from the ATM. I'd be wary about walking around with 5000, in hindsight I was fortunate to have been for 250.

While in college, I worked in plenty of shops in Dublin for more then one of the chains without giving away much I graduated recently, so mostly experience from the last 18 months. Some shops had days were average stake was €100 but mostly around €30. while most shops were around €9-12 average stake.

As Cupwinkcook says, those who see value in 5k to 1k are likely to have it over the phone, most people don't walk around with that kind of cash, and if they are betting those kind of prices they won't have that kind of cash long.

You do see big bets, I remember we took a bet for over €50k on a odds on shot, €5k in cash and the balance in unpaid dockets. Anything over €1k bet you would take notice. Took €20k on Leinster to beat Ulster ages back and that was a 1/10 shot.


Even in the good shops more then a couple of bets for a monkey each a day was the normal. Plenty of shops wouldn't take a bet over a ton for the whole day.

They don`t take monkey notes,only one getting on big cash bets are known.

squigs     31 Jan 12 20:05 
99% of shops will only see a €2500-€5000 bet once every few months at most.

Oh they see them much more often than that.........














......the only fcuking take them once every couple of months though

Nah they will break the bets up between shops, you might get 500 on youv'e no chance with 5,000 unless your a well known loser.

a guy today had 10k  on a winner in  various shops in south east.all at same price...so it is possible

Folsom Blue s